February 26, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
413 
placed in heat another batch of Rhubarb roots to 
maintain the supply which all through has been most 
abundant. 
Mushrooms. —Our first Mushroom bed (rather 
strange to say) still gives us an abundant cut, but as 
soon as signs of decay sets in, we shall allow it to become 
rather dry, and then give it a -watering of warm water, 
previously sprinkling the bed with salt. Cover up with 
straw, and await the result, which shall be duly given. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
The Fruit Quarters.— Fortunately through the 
weather continuing so fine, we are enabled to continue 
digging ; in fact we have completed all the vacant 
squares, and are now busy with the fruit quarters and 
borders, with the exception of the Gooseberries, which, 
on account of the attacks of birds, will be left unpruned 
as long as practicable. The cuttings of both Goose¬ 
berries and Currants will be planted during the week, 
and we hope also to finish all nursery work, as early 
completion of work in this department cannot be too 
strongly urged. As occasion will permit, attend to the 
seed Potato store, and in the case of very firm sets, let 
the end be cut off, which will be found to greatly benefit 
the yield as a rule. 
Roses, &c. —The weather continuing so mild, and 
our Rosery being so sheltered, the Roses are consequently 
starting into growth ; we are, therefore, compelled to 
prune rather earlier than usual. However, as other 
ground-ivork is now well forward, we can devote extra 
attention to them in the way of giving all the manure 
possible. See that all the standards are properly secured, 
new stakes being put where defective. Attention must 
also be now given to the walks and lawns in the 
shrubberies, by repeatedly rolling ; unless an early 
start is made a good face is seldom obtained, and should 
it be necessary, the turning and re-making of gravel 
walks should at once be proceeded with. We hope this 
week to put in a good breadth of Ashleaf Potatos on a 
warm south border. — Walter Child, Croome Court. 
-- 
FLOR ICULT URE. 
Chinese Primroses at Perry Hill. —Admirers 
of these beautiful winter flowers will find much to 
interest them in examining a large collection in a new 
house, just erected by Messrs. Carter & Co., at their 
Perry Hill Nursery, near Sydenham. There are about 
1,000 plants in 48-size pots, arranged in patches of one 
variety, all well grown and finely bloomed ; and by then- 
habit of throwing large trusses of finely formed flowers 
on short stems well above the foliage, they are admirably 
adapted for general market and decorative purposes. 
The condition of the plants is also all the more satis¬ 
factory, because the growing-houses at the Perry Hill 
Nursery are old-fashioned rather than of modern con¬ 
struction, and not at all well fitted for the production of 
Chinese Primroses in their best form. 
The darkest is a rich-coloured variety named Ver¬ 
milion, a fine type of the Chiswick Red, with finely 
fringed petals, bold lemon eye ; the flowers having the 
desirable property of becoming darker in colour with 
age. This variety appears both in the plain and 
Fern-leaved foliage. Holborn Magenta is a plain¬ 
leaved variety, colour rich rose, flushed with magenta, 
fine bold pip, fine and effective ; in this case the flower 
deepens materially in colour with age. Holborn Car¬ 
mine is a variety with large stout pips, colour bright 
rose flushed with carmine ; a fine market strain and 
strong grower, with bold trusses of bloom rising well 
above the foliage ; the flowers have a well - defined 
lemon centre, plain-leaved, very robust, and the eye 
brightens in colour with age. This came from a cross 
between Vermilion and Holborn Purple. Holborn 
Fern-leaved Red has large, bold, fringed, deep pinkish 
rose flowers, with bold eye, and small spots of white 
on the florets, very robust, with the flowers thrown 
well above the foliage. Holborn Salmon is of a 
charming colour, but to do it justice requires a tempera¬ 
ture of not less than 50 c by night; a low temperature 
affects the edges of the florets and discolours the 
blooms ; the colour is bright carmine-salmon ; it is plain¬ 
leaved, and the trusses of bloom are thrown well above 
the foliage. There is a semi-double form of this, named 
Prince of Wales, which comes true from seed, the 
flowers well thrown above the foliage, and a capital 
decorative variety. Holborn Favourite is of a pale 
lilac-rose colour, distinctly margined with white, plain 
foliage, very pretty and distinct; the flowers open 
quite pale, but deepen in colour with age. 
Elaine is a pure white variety with plain foliage and 
dark leaf stems. It may be mentioned, as a fact, that 
the purest white Primulas are invariably found on plants 
having dark leaf stems ; very pure and fine, a robust 
grower, and a good market variety. There is a variety 
of this with Fern-leaved foliage, larger flowers, smoother 
and better fringed ; stout dark stems, extra fine. 
Improved Holborn White is said to have come from a 
cross between Holborn White and Tomkins’ Queen ; 
and from this cross came both the Fern-leaved and 
plain-leaved types, and both take on a very delicate 
tinge of the softest blue ; fine large trusses of bold pips 
thrown well above the foliage. The old Holborn White 
has smaller flowers, but while the improved form keeps 
pure white, this comes tinged with delicate blush—a 
common occurrence with white Primulas ; it is yet a 
good useful variety, with the flowers well above the 
foliage. 
Holborn Pearl has dark leaf stems, colour pure white, 
taking on a very delicate tinge of silvery blue ; large 
bold pips, very delicate and pretty, a robust grower. 
There is a Fern-leaved form of this, the flowers a little 
larger in size and deeper in tint, very pretty and 
distinct, and -well fringed on the edges of the blossoms. 
Holborn Blush is a plain-leaved variety, flushed and 
flaked with rose, the leaf stems white, and the plant 
having an excellent habit of growth. Holborn Venus 
is a charming striped variety, the leaf stalks quite dark, 
and the flowers striped and spotted with pale rosy 
purple ; fine pip, and bold truss. This variety appears 
to be quite persistent in character. Some of the 
blossoms are splashed with purple, and in this form 
they are particularly pleasing. Lastly comes Holborn 
Blue. The credit of giving this great novelty to the 
public belongs to Messrs. Carter & Co., and by careful 
selection they have succeeded in developing a very fine 
form of it, the large stout-fringed flower having a bold 
and striking orange eye. 
We are all the more glad to bear testimony to the 
value of these Primulas after a personal inspection, 
because we think that when they were shown at South 
Kensington, on the 8th inst., they were seen at a great 
disadvantage. On a keen frosty morning they were 
brought all the way from Sydenham in a van, and 
suffered from the cold in consequence. They were then 
placed in an unheated corridor in a bad light, through 
which they also suffered greatly. It is due to Messrs. 
Carter & Co. that this much should be stated. 
Polyanthuses, Gold-laced.— From all parts of 
the country I hear of the slaughter among these through 
the frost, and one in the north of England writes to 
say that he thinks plants will be very scarce indeed in 
the autumn. Plants that, just previous to Christmas, 
appeared to be in the rudest health are found to have 
rotted away at the collar. I presume there is some 
inherent weakness in the propagated plants, and a 
time of severe frost proves too great a strain upon 
them. — R. D. 
-- 
LAW NOTES. 
Jacob and others v. Mansfield.— In the Queen’s 
Bench Division on Monday last, before Mr. Justice Wills 
and a common jury, the case of Jacob and others v. 
Mansfield came on for hearing. It arose out of the 
following circumstances :—The defendant was a grower 
of flowers for market, at St. Clears in Carmarthenshire, 
and in the autumn of 1884 he purchased of Mr. Schultz, 
a grower at Berlin, 150,000 bulbs or “ crowns ” of Lily 
of the Valley, with the intent of forcing them for 
flowers for the Christmas market. The terms were that 
the bulbs should be of the first quality and have flowers 
in them, that one-third of the price should be paid in 
cash, and the remainder at six months. 50,000 bulbs 
■were sent over on the 27th October, and £90 was paid. 
On the 8th November 100,000 more were sent, and the 
case for the plaintiffs was that £179 10s. was due for 
them, and a small amount for interest in addition. 
Mr. Schultz had assigned his right of action to the 
plaintiff's, and it was in that way that they claimed to 
have a right to sue. Mr. Murphy, Q. C., and Mr. 
Ashton Cross were for the plaintiff, and Mr. Philbrick, 
Q.C., and Mr. Reginald Brown for the defendant. 
The case commenced on Friday and continued until 
Monday, and a great deal of evidence was laid before 
the jury. The substance of the case for the plaintiffs 
was, that to be of first quality and in flower the bulbs 
must be three years old, and that those supplied 
answered this description. A skilled person, it was 
said, could, by looking at the bulbs, see whether they 
had flowers in them, and that those in question were 
examined and found to be flowering plants. A good 
deal of evidence was given as to the way in which the 
flowers should be forced for the early market, and some¬ 
thing also was said as to the frost damaging the bulbs 
when they were in the open ground. Mr. Justice 
Wills thought that they were very hardy plants, for he 
knew a spot 4,500 ft. above the sea level where they 
grew very well. For the defence it was said that the 
bulbs were not of the quality bargained for, and were 
probably two-year-old plants. About 75 per cent, of 
them, it was said, did not flower ; whilst if the plants 
had been good, the percentage of flowering bulbs 
should have been from 75 to 90 per cent. Other 
evidence was that 40 to 50 per cent, was a fair pro¬ 
portion of flowering plants. Mr. Justice Wills, in 
summing up, said that the present belonged to a class 
of case that was always difficult to decide ; for on 
behalf of each party there was made out a case that, 
taken by itself, seemed to be unanswerable, whilst, of 
course, one or other must be wrong, because the two 
were inconsistent. The jury, having heard all the 
evidence, must say what conclusion they had come to 
upon it. The jury, having considered the matter for 
twenty minutes, gave a verdict for the plaintiffs for 
£179 10s., and his lordship gave judgment in accordance 
with the finding .—Daily News. 
Another gardener of the old school has just passed 
away, in the person of Mr. William North, of 
Lee, Kent, the raiser of the well - known bedding 
Calceolaria aurea floribunda. Mr. North commenced 
his gardening career more than fifty years ago, and for 
many years was gardener in a private establishment. 
About twenty years ago Mr. North purchased the nursery 
and florist’s business of the late Mr. G. Stanley, Manor 
Lane, Lee, and in conjunction with his son, carried on 
the business until recently, when the partnership was 
dissolved, his son retiring from the business. Mr. 
No”th, who died on the 20th inst., was much respected 
for his many social virtues. 
We have also received intelligence of the death, at 
Berchem, near Antwerp, on the 17th inst., of Madame 
Le Giielle, a warm supporter of horticulture, and a 
most successful prize winner at the leading Belgian 
Horticultural Society’s exhibitions. 
--»3=<-- 
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS. 
Flavour of Tomatos.—R. M . .- Undoubtedly they are of the 
best flavour when allowed to attain maturity on the plants. 
Books. — W. W.: Kemp’s “How to Lay Out a Garden," 
published by Bradbury, Agnew & Co. 
A Gardeners’ Orphanage. — Erratum : At page 392 the 
word “ more" after “300” should be omitted.—/. Udale. 
Flannel Flower. — J.H.: Next week. It requires some 
looking up. 
The Be-discovered Daffodil.— A. G. II.: Many thanks, but 
we have already given the. information in recent numbers. 
Aloysia citriodora. —This is generally known as the scented 
Verbena, and is very frequently grown in cottage windows. I 
have heard it is hardy in some parts of England, and would like 
to know if this is the case, and whether it would flower out of 
doors in Hampshire.— Hants. 
Lilies of the Valley. — D. T.: A very poor sample, and 
especially so if the crowns really were of the German variety ; 
but as the flower stalks are shorter than the leaves, and the 
upper flowers are unopened and greenish, detracting from the 
appearance of the white bells, it would rather seem to us to be 
the Dutch variety. See “ Law Notes,” in the preceding column. 
Fruits to Name. — J. M . II.: The Apple is Annie Elizabeth ; 
the seedling Pears had gone too far past their season to enable 
us to form any opinion of their merit. 
Quassia and Soft-Soap. — Forgetfulness: The decoction of 
Quassia and soft-soap can hardly have been recommended for 
destroying fungus [Lichens ?] on Apple trees, for which lime- 
wash is the best remedy. It is made, however, by boiling 4 ozs. 
of Quassia chips in a gallon of soft water for ten minutes: strain 
off the chips and add 4 ozs. of soft-soap, which should be dis¬ 
solved as it cools. Stir it up well before using foi the destruc¬ 
tion of aphis of all kinds. 
Guide for Amateur Florists. — Weekly Subscriber : You do 
not state what branch of floriculture you intend to pursue. 
There are many books bearing on the subject, many of which 
are devoted to one plant or class of plants only. If you want a 
guide for hardy florists’ flowers generally, you could not do better 
than get “ Hardy Florists' Flowers,” by James Douglas. The 
“ Amateur Gardeners’ Calendar,” by Mis. Loudon, published by 
Frederick Warne & Co., gives a great amount of useful infor¬ 
mation on gardening matters. 
Plant House. — F. M., Didsbury : You must provide for front 
and top ventilation if you want a useful house for general plant 
cultivation, and as you have to rebuild the house, we think you 
should reduce the height in front by at least six inches. The 
top of the roof should not be carried higher than the top of the 
wall, unless you want to grow large plants, and you would find 
it more economical to have a fixed roof with a continuous venti¬ 
lator along the top than to have sliding lights. Troughs should 
certainly be put on the pipes, but these alone will not supply at 
all times a sufficient amount of humidity, but must be assisted 
by sprinkling the paths, walls, &c. The tank would not assist 
you at all unless the hot-water pipes ran through it, and we 
could not recommend you to adopt that plan. We cannot advise 
you to grow climbing plants to provide shade for such subjects 
as you intend to cultivate. It is better to have a roller blind 
that can be used at pleasure, or to wash the glass with some 
shading mixture when the sun gains too much power. You do 
not say what the size of your boiler is, but if you do not unduly 
lengthen the house, it would probably be sufficient for your 
requirements. 
Tuberoses. — A Beginner, Turton: Pot your bulbs singly in 
5-in. or 6-in. pots, according to the size of the bulb, using a 
compost consisting of equal parts of loam, peat and cow-dung, to 
which has been added some sharp clean river-sand, to keep the 
compost open. Plunge the pots, or stand them in the warmest 
part of the house at your command. If the soil is sufficiently 
moist, the bulbs will require no water till they have started, 
after which the supply should be augmented as growth proceeds. 
The bulbs may all be started at once, and part of them removed 
to a cooler house at different times, or they may be introduced 
to heat in two or more batches at your option. Be careful, 
however, not to water the bulbs when potted and kept under 
cool treatment. 
Double White Narcissus. — R. M.: We have noticed recently 
transplanted bulbs of different forms of N. poeticus behave in 
the manner you have described. It arises from weakness after 
transplanting, while in other cases it is the result of overcrowd¬ 
ing. Never transplant them till the leaves have perfectly died 
down ; but after that you may plant the bulbs in small clumps, 
separating them from one another, in well dug and enriched soil. 
Put them in about a depth of 3 ins., and if you pursue this plan 
there will be no difficulty in flowering them. 
